Porque este Melquisedec^a, rey de Salem, sacerdote del Dios Altísimo^b, salió al encuentro de Abraham cuandoeste regresaba de la matanza de los reyes, y lo bendijo. 2 Abraham le entregó¹ el diezmo de todos los despojos, cuyo nombre significa primeramente rey de justicia, y luego también rey de Salem, esto es, rey de paz, 3 sin padre, sin madre, sin genealogía^a, no teniendo principio de días ni fin de vida, siendo hecho semejante al Hijo de Dios^b, permanece sacerdote a perpetuidad.

4 Considerad, pues, la grandeza de este hombre a quien Abraham, el patriarca^a, dio el diezmo^b de lo mejor del botín¹. 5 Y en verdad los de los hijos de Leví^a que reciben el oficio de sacerdote, tienen mandamiento en¹ la ley de recoger el diezmo² del pueblo, es decir, de sus hermanos, aunqueestos son descendientes de Abraham³. 6 Pero aquel cuya genealogía^a no viene de ellos, recibió el diezmo^1b de Abraham y bendijo^c al que tenía las promesas^d. 7 Y sin discusión alguna, el menor es bendecido por el mayor. 8 Aquí, ciertamente hombres mortales reciben el diezmo, pero allí, los recibe uno de quien se da testimonio de que vive^a. 9 Y, por decirlo así, por medio de Abraham aun Leví, que recibía diezmos, pagaba diezmos, 10 porque aún estaba en los lomos de su padre cuando Melquisedec le salió al encuentro.

11 Ahora bien, si la perfección era por medio del sacerdocio levítico^a (pues sobre esa base recibió el pueblo la ley^b), ¿qué necesidad había de que se levantara otro sacerdote según el orden de Melquisedec^c, y no designado según el orden de Aarón? 12 Porque cuando se cambia el sacerdocio, necesariamente ocurre también un cambio de la ley. 13 Pues aquel^a de quien se dicen estas cosas^b, pertenece a otra tribu, de la cual nadie ha servido en el altar. 14 Porque es evidente que nuestro Señor descendió¹ de Judá^a, una tribu de la cual Moisés no dijo nada tocante a sacerdotes. 15 Y esto es aún más evidente, si a semejanza de Melquisedec se levanta otro sacerdote, 16 que ha llegado a serlo, no sobre la base de una ley de requisitos físicos^a, sino según el poder de una vida indestructible^b. 17 Pues de Él se da testimonio:TÚ ERES SACERDOTE PARA SIEMPRESEGÚN EL ORDEN DE MELQUISEDEC^a. 18 Porque ciertamente, queda anulado el mandamiento anterior por ser débil e inútil^a 19 (pues la ley nada hizo perfecto^a), y se introduce una mejor esperanza^b, mediante la cual nos acercamos a Dios^c. 20 Y por cuanto no fue sin juramento, 21 pues en verdad ellos llegaron a ser sacerdotes sin juramento, pero Él por un juramento del que le dijo:EL SEÑOR HA JURADOY NO CAMBIARÁ^1a:«TÚ ERES SACERDOTE PARA SIEMPRE^2b», 22 por eso, Jesús ha venido a ser fiador^1a de un mejor pacto^b. 23 Los sacerdotes anteriores eran más numerosos porque la muerte les impedía continuar, 24 pero Él conserva su sacerdocio inmutable¹ puesto que permanece para siempre^a. 25 Por lo cual Él también es poderoso para salvar para siempre^1a a los que por medio de Él se acercan a Dios^b, puesto que vive perpetuamente para interceder por ellos^c.

26 Porque convenía que tuviéramos tal Sumo Sacerdote^a: santo^b, inocente^c, inmaculado, apartado de los pecadores y exaltado más allá de los cielos^d, 27 que no necesita, como aquellos sumos sacerdotes, ofrecer sacrificios diariamente^a, primero por sus propios pecados y después por los pecados del pueblo^b; porque esto lo hizo una vez para siempre^c, cuando se ofreció a sí mismo^d. 28 Porque la ley designa como sumos sacerdotes a hombres débiles^a, pero la palabra del juramento, que vino después de la ley, designa al Hijo^b, hecho perfecto para siempre^c.

For this ^aMelchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the ^bMost High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace. 3 Without father, without mother, ^awithout genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like ^bthe Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.

4 Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the ^apatriarch, ^bgave a tenth of the choicest spoils. 5 And those indeed of ^athe sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have a commandment ¹in the Law to collect ²a tenth from the people, that is, from their countrymen, although they ³are descended from Abraham. 6 But the one ^awhose genealogy is not traced from them ^bcollected ¹a tenth from Abraham and ^2cblessed the one who ^dhad the promises. 7 But without any dispute the lesser person is blessed by the greater. 8 In this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, ^aof whom it is witnessed that he lives on. 9 And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, has paid tithes, 10 for he was still in the loins of his ¹forefather when Melchizedek met him.

11 ^aSo if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it ^bthe people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise ^caccording to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron? 12 For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also. 13 For ^athe one about whom ^bthese things are said belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord ¹was ^adescended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses said nothing concerning priests. 15 And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek, 16 who has become a priest not on the basis of a law of ^1aphysical requirement, but according to the power of ^ban indestructible life. 17 For it is attested of Him,“^aYOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVERACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.” 18 For, on the one hand, there is the nullification of a former commandment ^abecause of its weakness and uselessness 19 (for ^athe Law made nothing perfect); on the other hand, there is the introduction of a better ^bhope, through which we ^ccome near to God. 20 And to the extent that it was not without an oath 21 (for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him,“^aTHE LORD HAS SWORNAND ^bWILL NOT CHANGE HIS MIND,‘YOU ARE A PRIEST ^cFOREVER’”); 22 by the same extent Jesus also has become the ^1aguarantee of ^ba better covenant.

23 ¹The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing; 24 ¹Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues ^aforever, holds His priesthood permanently. 25 Therefore He is also able to ^asave ¹forever those who ^bcome to God through Him, since He always lives to ^cmake intercession for them.

26 For it was fitting for us to have such a ^ahigh priest, ^bholy, ^cinnocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and ^dexalted above the heavens; 27 who has no daily need, like those high priests, to ^aoffer up sacrifices, ^bfirst for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because He did this ^conce for all time when He ^doffered up Himself. 28 For the Law appoints men as high priests ^awho are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints ^ba Son, who has been ^cmade perfect forever.

For this ^aMelchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the ^bMost High God, met Abraham as he returned from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 and Abraham gave him a tenth of all the spoil. He is, first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, which means king of peace. 3 Without ¹any record of father or mother, nor ^aancestral line, without any record of beginning of days (birth) nor ending of life (death) , but having been made like ^bthe Son of God, he remains a priest without interruption and without successor.

4 Now pause and consider how great this man was to whom Abraham, the ^apatriarch, ^bgave a tenth of the spoils. 5 It is true that ^athose descendants of Levi who are charged with the priestly office are commanded in the Law to collect tithes from the people—which means, from their kinsmen—though these have descended from Abraham. 6 But this person Melchizedek ^awho is not from their Levitical ancestry ^breceived tithes from Abraham and ^cblessed him who ^dpossessed the promises of God. 7 Yet it is beyond all dispute that the lesser person is always blessed by the greater one. 8 Furthermore, here in the Levitical priesthood tithes are received by men who are subject to death; but in that case concerning Melchizedek, they are received by one ^aof whom it is testified that he ¹lives on perpetually. 9 A person might even say that Levi the father of the priestly tribe himself, who received tithes, paid tithes through Abraham the father of all Israel and of all who believe, 10 for Levi was still in the loins (unborn) of his forefather Abraham when Melchizedek met him (Abraham) .

11 ^aNow if perfection a perfect fellowship between God and the worshiper had been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for under it ^bthe people were given the Law) what further need was there for another and different kind of priest to arise, one ^cin the manner of Melchizedek, rather than one appointed to the order of Aaron? 12 For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is of necessity a change of the law concerning the priesthood as well. 13 For ^athe One of whom ^bthese things are said belonged not to the priestly line of Levi but to another tribe, from which no one has officiated or served at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord ^adescended from the tribe of Judah, and Moses mentioned nothing about priests in connection with that tribe. 15 And this becomes even more evident if another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, Ps 110:4 16 who has become a priest, not on the basis of a ^1aphysical and legal requirement in the Law concerning his ancestry as a descendant of Levi, but on the basis of the power of ^ban indestructible and endless life. 17 For it is attested by God of Him,“^aYOU (Christ) ARE A PRIEST FOREVERACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.” Ps 110:4 18 For, on the one hand, a former commandment is cancelled ^abecause of its weakness and uselessness because of its inability to justify the sinner before God 19 (for ^athe Law never made anything perfect); while on the other hand a better ^bhope is introduced through which we now continually ^cdraw near to God. 20 And indeed it was not without the taking of an oath that Christ was made priest 21 (for those Levites who formerly became priests received their office without its being confirmed by the taking of an oath, but this One was designated with an oath through the One who said to Him,“^aTHE LORD HAS SWORNAND ^bWILL NOT CHANGE HIS MIND or REGRET IT,‘YOU (Christ) ARE A PRIEST ^cFOREVER’”). Ps 110:4 22 And so because of the oath’s greater strength and force Jesus has become the ^acertain guarantee of ^ba better covenant a more excellent and more advantageous agreement; one that will never be replaced or annulled.

23 The former successive line of priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were each prevented by death from continuing perpetually in office; 24 but, on the other hand, Jesus holds His priesthood permanently and without change, because He lives on ^aforever. 25 Therefore He is able also to ^asave forever (completely, perfectly, for eternity) those who ^bcome to God through Him, since He always lives to ^cintercede and intervene on their behalf with God.

26 It was fitting for us to have such a ^aHigh Priest perfectly adapted to our needs, ^bholy, ^cblameless, unstained by sin, separated from sinners and ^dexalted higher than the heavens; 27 who has no day by day need, like those high priests, to ^aoffer sacrifices, ^bfirst of all for his own personal sins and then for those of the people, because He met all the requirements and did this ^conce for all when He ^doffered up Himself as a willing sacrifice. 28 For the Law appoints men as high priests ^awho are weak frail, sinful, dying men, but the word of the oath of God, which came after the institution of the Law, permanently appoints as priest ^ba Son ^1cwho has been made perfect forever. Ps 110:4